Dead Dreams
by Lightzero1
Summary: Once you've buried everyone you love, what do you live for?


**(Disclaimers: I don't own RWBY or anything that might appear familiar to you. They all belong to their respective owners. I only own the OCS and story.)**

* * *

**-Void-**

**-Years before RWBY-**

**-?- **

_I see…and feel nothing. There's no air, but I know that I'm breathing. There is no light, only darkness. Standing in this eternal abyss, I felt a small chill in the air before a cold light engulfed me._

_I blinked, and found myself standing in the middle of a frozen lake, surrounded by frost covered trees, black mists, and snowfall._

_Ahead of me is a dark path leading to the unknown._

_I know where I am…I know what I have to do…_

_I took the path, and felt the air grow colder as the black mist rolled along the ground like a dense cloud of smoke. _

_I reached my destination, and felt a frown etched its way to my face. At a foot of a mountain, I stared at the old weakened memorial stone in silence, before finally walking towards it._

_I knelt down, and brush off the snow that was clinging to the stone. Its passage read. {In his pride the wicked man does not seek forgiveness; in all his thoughts there is no room for good…}_

_Pride…will come before the fall. It was pride that turned men into Grimm, and it was pride that cost them their lives. _

_I tapped my knuckles against the stone to find it hollow. Clenching my first tightly, I smashed through the stone and felt my fist collide with a cold steel. I retracted my hand and removed the stone fragments to see a raven black mechanical revolver within. _

_Staring at the gun in silence, I gained a small crestfallen smile as I took the revolver and read the engraving at its barrel. _

_{Obscure}_

_I swung the cylinder open to find a single bullet chambered in it._

_Enough for a single Grimm…enough for a single man…_

_Closing the cylinder, I felt a dark presence from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see a familiar specter in the distance. The specter was shrouded in an olive drab cloak, black mist, and darkness._

_I stood up and faced the specter. It let out an inhumane howl before dashing towards me. I clicked the shift trigger on Obscure, transforming the handgun into a Balisong knife._

_As soon as the specter made a lunge towards me, I vaulted over it and inflicted several lacerations at its nape and back, before throwing a kick to its spine, sending it tumbling forward._

_It immediately gained control of its balance, and rolled onto its feet to face me with a low growl. _

_I got a better look at its face. The specter was a humanoid Grimm…its mask resembled a Geist; however it had two glowing red lenses for eyes. With each low growl the Grimm released, its mask slowly shifted, and grew a mouth with multiple jagged fangs. Its hands were covered in a black and white liquid that soon morphed a single arm into a cruel elongated blade, and another into a gauntlet of shattered bones._

_I stared at the Grimm in silence, feeling a cold rage take over. _

_I slowly raised and shifted Obscure back into a revolver. I aimed it towards the Grimm, narrowing my eyes, and holding my breath._

_Don't flinch._

_The Grimm once again lunged at me._

_Bang!_

* * *

**-Mark Void-**

**Reality…**

**Vale, Patch - Residential District- (My House)**

**? **

The sound of a single gunshot could be heard, and I opened my eyes to find myself sitting on a lazy boy in the living room. On my lap is my family photo album opened to a photo of my…late wife…

I gently took the picture out and reviewed it.

The photo showed a picture of a young woman with black hair tied into a pony-tail, bright yellow eyes, and a pale complexion. She is wearing a black shirt and pants. Her usual bright smile was directed at me…

I let out a sigh as a crestfallen smile duly crept up to my face.

How long has it been since her death? How long has it been since I felt her presence?

I stared at the picture and I could feel my chest tighten…

I wish you were still here, Licorice. What happened to our **happily ever after**?

…

…

I returned the picture, and reluctantly turned to another page. I looked at the first photo that came to view, and saw that it was of a younger version of my wife and I…smiling happily. I stared at it in silence.

I remember the first time we met. You were my partner, and I was yours. You hated me with every fiber of your being at the academy, but that soon changed with each battle, war, peace, and time spent with me. I love you, and I still do. In your last moments, did you feel the same? I'm sorry…I wish I could have spent more time with you.

I then stared at a photo of me, my wife, and my son at the local carnival. My son has raven black hair, sharp dark brown eyes and an olive complexion, wearing a black hooded jacket, white jogging pants and slippers. He was sulking, because he wasn't able to shoot the prize he wanted.

I tried my best with Leonard, Licorice. You got to see that…he's a good kid. He's even friends with Taiyang's daughters. But the problem is… that he has the same sorrow in his eyes...

The next photo contained the picture of a few old friends of mine. I was at the center; on my right was Leonardo Lionheart, followed by James Ironwood, and to my left were Glynda Goodwitch, and Ozpin.

This was an old photo. Everyone went on with their lives. Still, Leo remains to be a good friend, and a jolly godfather to Leonard. It was both Licorice and my idea to name our son after his godfather. Naming our son after Leo really made him happy. In matter of fact, Leo cried out of happiness. He…is a bit of a coward though.

I…don't really want to associate with Ironwood. The general and I served together during my time in the Atlesian military. I saved his life once, and now he thinks he owes me the world. I really can't say much about him, but he's a good guy, just owes me money from our last poker game.

Don't know what happened to Glynda and Ozpin though, heard they're professor at Beacon, but other than that, I don't have much on them. Still, I miss the two of them. They were a fun bunch; just don't have time for an old friend like me.

I let out a small yawn as I looked at the window next to me to see the reflection of a man with black hair, tired brown eyes, olive complexion, and a short boxed beard. He is wearing a white shirt with a small Atlas symbol located on the upper right chest, and...I glance down to see that I was still wearing my home cargo pants, and slippers.

Hmm…for some reason…I think I'm forgetting something…

Bang!

A loud bang coincidentally reminded me of what that was. I was woken up by the sound of a gunshot earlier.

Bang!

Another loud bang was heard, and I realized that it coming from my shop.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing full well who the culprits are.

What are those kids up to?

I exited the house, striding towards the weapon shop and clinic's entrance, which was located at the garage in front of my house. As soon as I saw the {open sign} was still placed up, I rubbed my forehead in annoyance since Leonard didn't follow my instructions.

I entered the shop to see Leonard and Ruby Rose working on the former's weapon, which is a mechanical pistol with a similar function to my revolver.

Ruby Rose is Taiyang's and Summer's daughter. She looks just like her mother with her black hair and red highlight, **silver eyes**, and pale complexion. She wore a white sweeter, black skirt, black shoes and a red cloak. She's a year younger than Leonard. She's a sweet kid, but she depends too much on Yang and my kid.

Hmm…those two really spend too much time with each other…wait. Where's Yang? I thought as I immediately sense someone jumping behind me, causing me to immediately duck down to see Yang missing a flying kick, which was supposedly aimed for my head.

Yang Xiao Long is Taiyang's and Raven's daughter. She resembles her mother, but has her father's blonde hair and Lilac colored eyes. She's the same age as Leonard, and is a real trouble maker. Taiyang hasn't told her who her real mother is. Still, she's a kind girl.

I immediately caught her by the ankle and lifted her high enough to face me. "Hey, Uncle Mark!" She greeted me with a mischievous smile, causing me to give her a small smile of my own before setting her down and ruffling her hair.

I'm not really Yang's and Ruby's uncle. I'm their godfather, but they call me that because Taiyang and Qrow insisted on it.

"Nice try, Yang, but better luck next time." I told her as I patted her head causing her to give me a confident smile…that made me regret my choice of words.

"Uncle Mark!" I heard Ruby exclaimed as the speeding human bullet tackled me into an embrace, which somehow almost knocked the air right out of me.

Ruby stared at me with an excited expression. "Uncle Mark, Uncle Mark! Can I have some strawberry cookies!?"

I smiled at her innocent expression before giving her a small nod. "Okay." I told her causing her to give me an innocent and cheerful smile before rushing towards Leonard and grabbing him by the wrist, she then did the same thing to Yang. But before they were able to head outside, I stopped all three of them.

"Ruby, Yang, both of you can go ahead. I need to talk to Leonard." I said, accidentally with a much too serious tone, which made my son flinch, while Ruby and Yang gained a concerned expression.

Idiot… I mentally scolded myself as Ruby stared at me with her wide eyes, which is…actually making me feel guilty.

"Is Leonard in trouble?" She asked in a sad tone, causing me to inwardly sigh.

"No. I just need to talk to him for a minute, okay? Afterwards, he can play and eat with you as much as you want." She gave me a small nod before exiting the shop with Yang.

I then turned my sight to my son. "Didn't I tell you to close the shop at five?" I asked Leonard in a confused tone, causing him to rub the back of his head nervously.

"Sorry, dad, I was too focused on my weapon that I forgot to close up early."

I released a sigh. "That's fine, son." I told him as I ruffled his hair.

"Now, go turn the sign, and play with Yang and Ruby, okay?"

"Yes, dad…"

Leonard gave me a nod before going to the door. I turned my back on him and walked towards the work bench.

You can never really separate those three. I thought as I inspected Leonard's unfinished weapon closely.

He's making a semi-automatic 45. Caliber handgun opposed to my .44 Magnum. I clicked the shift trigger and the handgun slowly shifted and compacted to a crescent shaped blade. The gears move more silently then my own and the knife is built in causing the weapon to look more like a handgun in its form and more like a knife when shifted. I inspected the knife. It's a Karambit instead of a Balisong like mine. I press the trigger again causing a small amount of steam to be released, as the weapon shifted back into a handgun.

…Steam…that's not a good sign. Maybe a lose bolt or something? I placed the weapon back on the work bench to see a name engraved on it. {Lumen}

Light, huh?

…


End file.
